(Published in 7 Nights 2004-05)

(Published in 7 Nights 2005-06)

Before last July, Brandon was best known for its downtown truck traffic problem. Now the little burg between Middlebury and Rutland is on the map for its moules marinières.

(Published in 7 Nights 2006-07)

The Blue Benn and Miss Lyndonville may get more press, but when you're seeking swivel stools and sausage gravy in the heart of Rutland County, Castleton's art-deco Birdseye Diner is what's for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Locals, students and summer people all patronize the lovingly restored 1940s "Silk City" eatery on Main Street, with its bright orange neon sign and chrome-and-porcelain detailing.

(Published in 7 Nights 2008-09)
Back Home Again Café, food is a religion — literally. The group that runs the café is part of an international Christian sect known as the Twelve Tribes Communities. Its bearded men and make-up-free women look a bit like Amish hippies as they submit to perpetual kitchen duty for Christ.

(Published in 7 Nights 2008-09)

(Published in 7 Nights 2008-09)

(Published in 7 Nights 2007-08)

Trying to convert lead into gold never worked out too well for anybody. But turning hops and barley into golden liquid brings hordes to The Alchemist Pub & Brewery in Waterbury, where the serious task of brewing is served with a side of fun. Just try the Holy Cow I.P.A, Type O Positive or Knuckle Dragger. Good thing the mosaic-tiled bar — made by local artist Heather Glenn — is long enough to accommodate lots of ale aficionados.

(Published in 7 Nights 2007-08)

(Published in 7 Nights 2005-06)

The elegant Kitchen Table Bistro is a bit of a misnomer. And the fact that the Richmond restaurant used to be a bar-food joint doesn't simplify the PR challenge. Fact is, Lara and Steve Atkins have transformed the Route 2 farmhouse formerly known as Chequers into a fine-dining establishment with black-clad waiters, white linen table cloths and a menu featuring local seasonal meats, cheeses and produce.

(Published in 7 Nights 2008-09)

Towns don't get much more Vermont-y than Fairfield, tucked in the state's northwest corner a few miles from St. Albans. The village is dotted with dairy farms, corn and hay fields, and maple groves. It's also the site of Chester Alan Arthur's historic home. Don't remember Arthur? He was the more talkative of Vermont's two U.S. presidents. Fairfield's sole eatery —Chester's Bakery — bears his name.